Believe
by GirlWithTheFullmetalHeart
Summary: Ten years after she last saw Squall and the other SeeDs, Rinoa is on the run from the law, and SeeD is hunting her. But she's innocent! :O Based on the song Believe by Skillet. Sorry for the crappy description. DX
1. Chapter 1

This is a little old. Almost a year old now, I think. I made some really pretty thing with Rinoa on PaintShop, and it made me want to write a fanfic about it. So I did. I did it for my creative writing class. It was also heavily inspired by the song Believe by Skillet.

* * *

The stars seemed so close it was like she was standing among them, twinkling little lights swirling all about her. She was completely oblivious to the commotion going on inside. For now, it was only her and her stars, free from her life, from the craziness that had been going on lately.

She had left the party minutes earlier, hoping to get away from the bustling crowd. She'd had enough of the people congregating around her, demanding the details of her journey, oblivious to the fact that she just might be exhausted from said journey.

Rinoa wasn't one to complain much, though. She only wanted some peace. Seeing her friends having fun, dancing, Zell stuffing his face, Irvine flirting with all the ladies in the party, Selphie, constantly hitting Zell on the shoulder, making faces at people, and Quistis, talking with the former headmaster of the school, keeping a close eye on who used to be her students, it made her happier than she had been in a long time. All that they had been through, it was over now. It didn't seem possible.

Rinoa was particularly happy seeing Squall. Not apathetic, anti-social, emo Squall. There was a smile on his face as he watched and talked to his friends, his new status as headmaster obviously increasing his determination and standing. She couldn't help but smile every time she saw him, even now. She caught his eye, just as she was turning to leave for the balcony, and her smile grew wider. She gestured with her head to follow her, and she turned and left, smiling.

And now, here she was, standing on the deck, hands folded over the railing, watching the sky. Alone. The man she secretly (or maybe not-so-secretly) loved was not standing beside her. She was alone with the starry night. The wind blew through her jet black hair, blending with the coal sky.

When she heard footsteps behind her, she didn't move, she didn't turn her head. She knew it was him, there was no confirmation needed.

"I'm sorry… tied up… lots of people." He mumbled, hardly audible. He stood beside me, looking at me.

She turned and looked at him, bringing her index finger up to her lips in a silencing gesture, and smiled, looking back up to the stars. He followed her gaze, a slight smile gracing his lips. She looked back at him, the stars brilliance seeming positively miniscule compared to him. She could see him in a new light. The huge scar running across his face from the sword fight he'd gotten into with Seifer… it no longer seemed to symbolize his misery, his past. It now represented his new strength and confidence.

Squall turned to look at her, his grey eyes meeting hers. Her heart skipped a beat at the look he was giving her. She scolded herself inside. She was the one that had been leading him on this whole time. She had been waiting for this to come since the beginning. Her legs moved as if in a trance, and she wrapped her arms around him just as he did her. She looked up at him, and their lips met, melting together.

Rinoa bolted upright, clutching her sheets, sweating profusely. The same dream again. Why? Why was she remembering after all these years? Why did she react this way? Why was it so traumatizing? It was all past her now… yet she kept having this dream, over and over again, and every time she awoke in a sweat as if it was some sort of nightmare.

With some reluctance, Rinoa buried herself back within her covers and went back to sleep. A dreamless sleep, but also restless.


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning Rinoa was sitting on the balcony of her small contemporary-style apartment. The dream from the night before was all but forgotten in the morning breeze. Rinoa Heartilly sat on her balcony wall, back leaning against the outside wall of the apartment building. A plain, black porcelain mug filled with coffee sat in her hand.

As she sipped the heavily-creamed coffee, she watched the bustling people on the street two floors below her as they went about their business. It was such a happy little section of the much, much larger Deling City, capital of Galbadia. It was an escape from the crowded, stuffy streets filled with cars and businessmen and tourists. It was free of the deafening roar of engines and voices. There were no cars here, it was like stepping back in time.

Rinoa finished her coffee and set it on the balcony floor, then swung her feet over the balcony wall and jumped to the street below. Her flowing sky blue jacket with white wings elegantly painted on the back flapped around her as she descended through the air. She landed perfectly, booted feet hitting the stone sidewalk. A child of about four or five gasped incredulously, tugging at her mother's hand. "Mommy! Did you see that?"

The mother, obviously young, probably in her twenties, smiled at Rinoa. "Nice trick there." Rinoa grinned, and kneeled down to the eye level with the kid. "Do you want to see a magic trick?" The girl nodded eagerly, "Yeah!" Rinoa nodded, "Alright" She rubbed her hands together, then threw them apart, raising them into the air. Where her hands had been a moment before was a pink teddy bear with ribbons on it's fur. "For you." Rinoa said, catching the toy and handing it to the child. The child took the bear in her small arms, mouth wide open, speechless. "Another nice trick." The mother commented, obviously believing it to be just an illusion. But she was smiling. "Thank you." The girl finally spoke. "How did you do that?" She clutched the toy to her chest. "I'm a sorceress." Rinoa winked, standing up. "Wow!" It wasn't a lie either. Rinoa smiled at them. "Have a nice day." "Bye!" The toddler waved frantically at Rinoa as her mother led her away.

Downtown Deling City was swarming with people, like flies on garbage. Rinoa had grown up here, and hated it. But yet here she was, still apartment living on the outskirts of town. A far cry from the mid-city mansion she had lived in most of her life. She had finally escaped, only to come back again. The air smelled strongly of gas and smoke. Cars moved slowly, backed up for miles. The Galbadian police force patrolled every corner, giving civilians piercing glares. The oppression in the air was obvious and discomforting. Even now, after all the nation had been through, the government still oppressed its people.

Rinoa, luckily, was not subject to the glares of the policemen when they recognized her. She was daughter of General Fury Caraway, a high-ranking official in the Galbadia Army, and very respected. In turn, Rinoa too was treated with respect, and recognized throughout the city (and, well, the world) as a hero, due to her adventure ten years ago. In fact, some of the police officers even greeted Rinoa as she passed, calling her 'Miss Heartilly". Rinoa smiled politely at them. Force of habit. She, like the rest of the people there, was not too fond of the police force and their brutality.

To avoid the fans crowding around her, Rinoa turned down a backstreet into a more rural section of the city, similar to the area she lived in. It was a sunny, bustling market, cheerful and happy, despite the glares of the few police here. Rinoa smiled and went along merrily.

Children laughed and looked at her in awe when she passed. She smiled kindly at them and moved on, somewhat annoyed, but she smiled anyway. She understood that they were children, and seeing someone famous like her was exciting, so she tried to be sympathetic. After all, she would probably react the same way were she their age.

Everywhere vendors were selling their goods, fruit and vegetables, bread, pastries, pretty little trinkets, clothes, jewelry and an assortment of other things. People moved from stall to stall, buying what they wished.

Rinoa kept a smile plastered on her face as she moved to and from the stalls, looking interestingly at the goods on sale. It wasn't hard. She was happy. She usually was.

Something at a nearby stall selling hand made jewelry caught Rinoa's watchful eye. A police officer was standing behind the stall, looking down angrily at the plump little woman there. The woman wore an expression of fear, but determination.

"Really now, Lady, I'm sure you can afford to give up just one little piece of this fine jewelry, can't you?" The cop was obviously harassing her.

"Mister, I cannot let you just take it! I work hard to make these so that I can feed my family. I cannot afford to give any away, and I most certainly cannot give it away for no good reason!" The vendor replied.

The man's expression grew more angry. "You don't have the right to refuse it from me. I am superior to you. As a man, and as a member of the Galbadia Police Department."

At this the woman - and Rinoa - became enraged. Not only at his blatant sexist comment, but at his thick-headedness.

The plump woman opened her mouth to retort, but was interrupted by a blow across the face from the tall man.

The woman clutched her bruised, red cheek. "How dare you strike me?" She whispered.

Rinoa strode to the stall as fast as her legs would carry her, anger burning in her eyes. She repeated the woman's question, glaring at the police officer. "Touch her again!" Rinoa's voice was low, dangerous.

The officer glanced at Rinoa, not recognizing her. "I will!" His palm collided with the lady's face once again, knocking her to her knees.

That was the last straw. Rinoa yelled out something illegible, before attacking the man, filled with rage and disdain. There was a bright flash of light, and then everything went black.

Rinoa awoke to a sharp pain in her side and head. She groaned and slowly opened her eyes. It was dark out. She must have been out for a while. The pain increased when she sat up. It took a moment for her blurry vision to adjust, and when she did she was shocked at her surroundings.

Rubble and debris littered the streets. Dust filled the air, making it hard to see. Everywhere stalls and a few buildings were completely destroyed. Dead bodies littered the ground, strewn over the road and the debris in it. A group of police were standing nearby, next to a particularly large pile of rubble and bodies. A few of the men were looking over at her.

"She's awake!"

A short, plump officer scurried over to her, wiping his brow. "Lady Rinoa! Why?"

Rinoa's eyebrows twisted in confusion. "Why?"

"Get away from her! She's dangerous!"

The group of police officers rushed over, each pointing their guns at her, hostile. They surrounded her.

Rinoa started to stand, but they stopped her.

"Move and we shoot!"

"What's going on?" Rinoa demanded. "What happened to all these people?" She inquired.

"What happened?" To them this question seemed incredulous. "You killed them, Heartilly! With your powers! Just like…"

Rinoa's head was spinning. She'd killed them? That couldn't be right. The last thing she remembered before she'd passed out was the police officer slapping the old vendor lady. She had been so angry, but, losing control of her powers? After so many years of having mastered them it seemed so unlikely., so incredibly unlikely that such a skilled sorceress as herself would lose control like that.

"What?" was all she managed to whisper.

"What do you mean 'what?'" one of the guns was pressed hard into her neck. "Stop playing innocent!"

Rinoa felt her heartbeat quickened, her vision sharpen and her senses heightened. She kicked the gun out of the nearest officer's hand, sending it flying into another one of them, knocking him unconscious.

She jumped to her feet and ran. She ran and ran as fast her feet could carry her. Through the crowded streets of Deling City she fled, dodging tourists and police and locals. She knocked them over as she sprinted, but she didn't care. The city was crawling with police, and she had to get out of there. If she really did kill all those people, she'd never get away with it if she stayed. It didn't matter that she was General Callaway's daughter, or that she was Rinoa Heartilly. They'd have her executed. The only way to live now was to run.

"Get her!"

Rinoa heard their cries as they chased her through the crowded city, but she knew they wouldn't find her, not with all these people. When she reached the city limits she didn't stop. She ran until she reached the edge of Galbadia Forest, the woods near the city, and finally collapsed on the dewy forest floor, panting heavily.

It felt as if her lungs were going to burst. She gasped for breath, cheek resting on the ground, her body sprawled out. She soon passed out again, for the second time that day.


	3. Chapter 3

When Rinoa awakened the sun was just peaking out from the horizon. She rubbed her eyes and sat up. She could just barley see the lights of the city in the distance. She figured that they wouldn't have sent the police after her right away because of the danger. They'd probably wait and send a more elite force after her. Maybe the military. Rinoa shuddered at the thought of the army being after her.

Using the nearest tree as a support Rinoa lifted herself to her feet. She was just at the edge of the deep forest. She had never been through here alone before. She was always accompanied by a friend, or, when she was young, by her father. In fact, she used to ride her chocobo with her father through here all the time when she was little. The forest was home to many nasty creatures, but Rinoa knew her way through. If she didn't stop, she could probably walk through the whole forest in about a day. She wasn't too worried about any of the monsters, she could handle them easily, and if the army or police pursued her here, there would be plenty of places to hide.

Rinoa ignored the hunger pains in her growling belly and the searing pain in her head. She longed to go back to her comfy little apartment, be home, but she knew she couldn't. She pushed all thoughts out of her head and focused on her goal: to escape. She walked through the forest, steering clear of any kind of path, she wasn't worried enough to run. As long as she kept heading south she knew she would escape the forest, so it was best to be cautious and not be seen by anyone who might be passing through.

The young sorceress walked the whole day, never running into any trouble in the forest more than a few Caterchipillers and Funguars, which she easily disposed of with a few watera and thundara spells. The rest she avoided when she could. By the time the moon was out she was at the other end of the woods. A few miles of forest now separated her and the capital city of Galbadia.

Rinoa knew she would now have to clear the whole country of Galbadia to be safe. She decided the best bet would be to head east until she reached Timber, then make her way to the harbor, where she would stow away on a ship heading for Esthar. There, she would be safe from the Galbadian army, who wouldn't trespass on another country just to look for her. Probably.

Rinoa began her long journey to safety. She walked for miles and miles until she reached a train station.

There weren't many people there. _Much better for me. _Rinoa thought. She stayed in the shadows, head down, avoiding the eyes of the few people that were there. Most likely, if they were this far out in the country, they wouldn't recognize her, but she didn't want to risk it.

Rinoa looked at the train schedule. A train from Deling City would pass by and then finish it's journey at the port in a few hours. Exactly where Rinoa wanted to be, but probably the most dangerous was to reach it. The train would probably be crawling with people who would easily recognize her. She'd much rather deal with all the beasts she would encounter if she traveled by foot. She looked at the pros and cons: if she went by foot, it would be hard, it would wear her down, she'd have to fend off monsters, and if she went by train she would surely be caught. It seemed like a lose-lose situation.

"Miss!" Something tugged the sorceress's jacket.

Rinoa nearly jumped out of her skin. She tried to control her rapidly beating heart as she turned to see who was there.

Behind Rinoa was a young woman, probably a teenager, or in her early twenties. She had blond pigtails and wore a yellow sundress. She instantly reminded Rinoa of Selphie Tilmit.

"Miss?" She repeated.

"Yes?" Rinoa asked, keeping her voice steady and low. If this woman recognized her, it wouldn't matter. There weren't enough people at the station now to pose a threat to her.

"I know who you are." Rinoa instantly tensed, but the lady continued, whispering. "I don't believe you murdered those people. Let me help you, please."

Rinoa felt a pang of guilt. She _had _killed those people. She hadn't meant to kill them, but she did. She _was _guilty. Rinoa bit her lip. "Really?"

"Yeah. Come with me." Seeing Rinoa's hesitation the woman continued. "Trust me. I'm a fan of yours. I want to help you. Please trust me."

It couldn't hurt, Rinoa figured. If she was planning to lead her into a trap, the sorceress could easily escape in a place this open.

She followed the woman out of the train station, behind the building. She noticed the girl was carrying a large bag of luggage. She set it down and faced Rinoa.

"You probably don't trust me, but I have a plan." She was talking fast, hardly legible. She was very animated with her hands as she explained. "So, I figure you'd be on your way out of the country about now, huh? That would explain why you're here, to catch a train east to Timber, and then walk to the harbor, since it's pretty close, right? And go to Esthar, since the government probably won't chase you that far. But then again, who knows. You know our government." She paused for breath. "Anyway, I can help you, since a train is coming from Deling, everybody will recognize you, and you probably haven't been able to change. I can totally get you a disguise, make you not look quite as Rinoa-ey, you know."

Rinoa nodded. She would have gotten a disguise herself, but all she had were the clothes on her back. Not exactly a lot to work with.

"So, I have some stuff you can use to disguise yourself and get on that train and get the heck out of here. You can wear a different outfit. I have some things that everyone would expect you not to wear, like some really pretty revealing ones, like, slutty, I guess, 'cause you wouldn't wear those. Would you?"

Rinoa shook her head. "No, of course not."

"Okay, good! Not that I'm a slut or anything. They aren't my clothes, I was bringing them to my sister, but oh well, you need them more. I also have a hat you can wear, and like, you can do something different with your hair. I can buy you a ticket too, since you probably don't have any gil. I could just give you some gil too, for when you reach Esthar." The teenager finally stopped talking. Her energetic, enthusiastic nature reminded Rinoa even more of Selphie. She winced inwardly, missing her friends. She hadn't seen them in years.

"Thank you so, so much." Rinoa smiled, sincerely thankful. "You don't know how grateful I am for this."

"Trust me, it's no problem whatsoever. I'm happy to do this, Miss Heartilly. It's my pleasure." She smiled at the sorceress. "Oh yeah, I'm Elora, by the way. It's wonderful to meet you, Rinoa. I just wish it could be under different circumstances."

Rinoa chuckled half-heartedly, feigning a smile. "Yeah, the circumstances could be a lot better."

Four hours later Rinoa sat in the back of a train heading for Timber. People from Deling City were sitting all around her, but luckily no one had recognized her so far. Her disguise was a red tube-top shirt that clung to her curves, showing off her cleavage and midriff, uncomfortably short shorts, a black jacket, a black baseball cap, and high-heels. She felt incredibly uncomfortable in these clothes, vulnerable. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

It felt like every eye was on her, on her exposed skin, on her tight clothes. She squeezed her eyes shut. She felt so unnatural in this. She supposed it was for the better, no one would expect Rinoa Heartilly to wear something like this, it just wasn't her. She should be thinking about the safety that would await her soon, but she couldn't.

Rinoa gripped the armrest of her seat, biting her lip. This train brought back so many memories. She'd been on so many trains with SeeD. In fact, she had met them on a train, when she had hired them to help her. It had been the second time she'd met Squall, after the dance they had shared at Balamb Garden. Thinking of Squall made her heart feel heavy. Thinking of all of them did.

The sorceress opened her eyes and forced herself to stare out the window at the beautiful countryside as it flashed by. She had to do something to take her mind off her memories and attire.

The train reached Timber station early the next morning, when the sun was barely peeking up over the horizon.

Rinoa was glad to be free of the horrid train, glad to breath the cool, clean air. The air was crisp and cold, but it was better than the muggy, crowded train, and Rinoa liked the cold.

She was tired, but she wanted to reach the port before she even thought of sleeping. She still wasn't safe here.

"Did you hear? They're sending SeeD!"

Rinoa's head snapped up, and her focus turned to two women standing on the corner. One was holding a gossip magazine. The headline read : _Government of Galbadia Hires SeeD!_

"That's ridiculous! You can never believe what you read in those!"

"But doesn't it seem like the logical thing to do? I mean, who else can handle Rinoa Heartilly. You've heard the stories, right? She's super powerful!"

Rinoa put her head down again and hurried down the stone street, staying to the shadows, avoiding the people there. What she had heard about SeeD greatly concerned her. Her escape would be so much harder with them on her tail. Not to mention the emotional strain if she were forced to fight them.

She slowed down once she reached the city limits, steering away from the road until she was about a half mile from it.

She then started walking more slowly, worn down. "I should have slept on the train." She muttered.

It was a long walk to the harbor, but not too far for Rinoa to handle. She was utterly exhausted when she reach it, but luckily had only had to fight off a few beasts on the way there. She checked out a room at the motel there, and plopped onto the bed as soon as she opened the door of the room, and slept.

When she awoke she left the room immediately. She hadn't slept as well or as long as she would have liked, but it would have to do. She traveled down the stairs, checked out and walked out the door of the inn. Right into a trap.

A man and a woman grabbed her from behind. She struggled, but their grip was too tight.

"Rinoa! So it's true!"

Rinoa turned to look at the people holding her. When she saw them she felt her heart rip in half, but she wasn't surprised. It was Zell Dincht and Quistis Trepe. SeeD. Her friends.

While Zell looked like he was about to cry, Quistis kept a businesslike, stoic expression. "Zell!"

"Yeah, I know."

Everything went black again as Rinoa blacked out from his blow.

* * *

The whole Rinoa in the slutty outfit is really strange, especially reading over it again. :/ Well. Whatever. Silly old writing.


	4. Chapter 4

When Rinoa regained consciousness her hands were shackled. She was sitting in a metal chair, in front of a table. She could tell by the black window on the far wall that she was in an interrogation room. She could easily break the shackles with magic, but getting out would be a different matter. SeeD couldn't be far; they were probably watching her right now. She knew she couldn't fight all of them.

The door opened and two more familiar faces came in. Selphie Tilmit and Irvine

Kinneas. The emotional pain from earlier returned, but Rinoa forced herself to show no emotion.

"Rinoa!" Selphie squealed and rushed forward to embrace her in a tight hug. Rinoa wanted to return the hug, but couldn't move her hands. When Selphie stood back Rinoa could see that she was on the brink of tears. "Why, Rinoa? Did you really kill those people? You couldn't have!"

Rinoa looked down. "I did, Selphie. But… I didn't mean to. I suppose the government of Galbadia has hired you to kill me? Or interrogate me?" She asked, gesturing to the window.

Selphie shook her head. "No, neither. They hired us to take you to them. We're just using this interrogation room to keep you from escaping until we go to Deling. I didn't want to, but Squall said we had to, 'cause that's what they hired us to do."

Rinoa nodded. "I understand. SeeD is a mercenary group, you had to."

"No we didn't." Irvine spoke. "Squall is just as hard-headed as always. He never turns down a job."

"Sounds like him." Rinoa muttered.

"We're supposed to leave tonight, Rin. I'm sure it'll be ok if you tell them you're innocent, right?" Selphie asked, trying to be optimistic.

Rinoa nodded reassuringly, even though she knew that wouldn't happen. "Of course."

The door opened again and Quistis walked in, looking much less emotionless and stoic than before. She looked at Rinoa and gave her a sad smile, and came to stand next to Selphie. "Rinoa. I've missed you." She sat on the corner of the table. "I don't believe you're guilty, even if you did kill those people. But this is my job."

"I understand."

"Rinoa, how have you been?" She asked in a soft voice. "It's been almost nine years, yes?"

"Yes, it has. Until now, I've been well."

"I'm glad to hear it."

Rinoa talked with her old friends a while, and then they left on her request to be alone for a while. She wished the circumstances for meeting them again were better. She was disappointed that Squall hadn't come in at all, but glad at the same time. She didn't know how she would deal with seeing him again.

She was sleeping now. In the uncomfortable chair. Tomorrow she planned to escape when they were taking her back to Deling. If she could run fast enough it shouldn't pose to hard a task.

When she had been asleep not even thirty minutes, movement in the room awoke her. She opened her eyes groggily and looked up.

A figure stood in the corner, watching her, but turned away when she looked up. Rinoa could never mistake that scar on his face.

"Squall." She whispered, feeling like her heart had just been ripped out.

"Rinoa." He replied, voice cool. She tried to deny that his coldness hurt her, tried to deny that she still loved him.

He approached her, not looking directly at her. "Rinoa." He said again. "I…"

Rinoa bit her lip. "Let me go, Squall."

"No. I can't."

"Yes you can, give them their gil back. Please, Squall. Don't do this. You know they'll lock me up."

"I know, but…"

Rinoa held back her tears. "Please, Squall. You don't need the gil. It's me, Rinoa. Remember me? Remember _us?_"

"But I…" He paused. There was a long silence. "You're right, Rinoa. I'm sorry."

Rinoa looked up, failing to hold the tears. "Squall."

He looked at her. "What? Why are you crying."

"Remember when I told you that I didn't love you? When I left, and said I wouldn't even be thinking about you?"

He winced. "Yes."

"Well you're a fool, Squall! A fool!"

Squall was taken aback, but didn't have time to respond.

"You know why you're a fool, Squall Leonheart? You want to know why? Because you believed me! If you ever really knew me there's no way you'd actually believe that!" Rinoa was raising her voice now, crying.

"Rinoa, are you saying-?"

"Yes, Squall. I love you. I do. You were so stupid to believe I didn't! And I _did _think about you! Every day. I dreamt about you! I missed you so much." She broke out into tears and buried her face in the table.

"Rinoa." His voice seemed so much more gentle now. He walked to her and took her wrists in his hands, undoing her cuffs. "You're right. I was stupid. I wanted to not believe you but I did. It hurt so much when you left." He paused. "I guess what I'm trying to say, is I love you too. I always did."

* * *

Bahahahaha! This ending. It makes me laugh. It's so cliche.


End file.
